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Council discusses South Boulder Road Small Area Plan before hearing

Louisville City Council met Tuesday night for a study session regarding the South Boulder Road Small Area Plan.

The plan includes the creation of development regulations, identifying infrastructure improvements, and locating areas for public spaces based on input and ideas from the public for the corridor.

The South Boulder Road area of Louisville began being annexed into the city in the late 1970s. Development occurred intermittently and by the time the 2013 Comprehensive Plan update was adopted, the area ranged from undeveloped fields to sites undergoing redevelopment.

Staff recommended City Council discuss the draft for South Boulder Road Small Area Plan before it is brought for public hearing to the April 5 city council meeting.

Much of what was discussed Tuesday night revolved around retail space and transit concerns along the corridor.

"It's a pretty picture, I just don't think its realistic for Louisville," said council member Jay Keany. "Where do you put the cars and how much retail sales tax will it generate? I don't see all of that being commercial. And, if it is I don't see where all those people will be living."

"Our redevelopment is going to be breaking up into smaller retail, that is probably the future," said Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Lipton.

The draft plan calls for modifications to South Boulder Road, described by intersection. These improvements, in some places, help traffic function more efficiently or provide additional vehicular access, and in others will increase pedestrian safety and accessibility without significant negative impacts on traffic operations, according to city documents.

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Also, as the corridor develops, two transit improvements are desired by the draft plan. First is the 96th Street bus route described in the Highway 42 Gateway Plan, and second is the extension of the 228 bus route, from its current turnaround at Cottonwood, further east toward Colo. 42/96th Street.

The draft plan shows the projected 20-year cumulative fiscal impact based on the projected maximum build-out and the city's 2015 fiscal model.

According to the 20-year cumulative fiscal impact, the total revenue for the project will amount to $66.9 million, total expenditures will amount to $54.2 million, leaving a net fiscal impact of $12.7 million.

The Louisville City Council on Jan. 20, 2015, endorsed the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, or SWOT, analysis that included opinions and comments gathered since late 2013 on how residents envision the corridor, as part of the South Boulder Road Small Area Plan.

The SWOT document was created after city staff approached stakeholders, including business owners, commercial property owners and residents who live in and around the corridor. Input also was gathered from about 130 people who attended the small area plan kickoff meeting in October and from the envisionlouisvilleco.com website, said city planner Scott Robinson.

"We're really excited so many people are interested and excited about the corridor and want their thoughts incorporated," Robinson said at the time.

Making the corridor more walkable and bike-friendly, along with turning the shopping center into a community hub, could provide the small-town feel some residents desire — and already get — in Downtown Louisville.

The South Boulder Road small area plan is intended to define desired community character, land uses, and public infrastructure priorities to provide a reliable road map for public and private investments in the corridor, according to city documents.

The Planning Commission reviewed the draft plan at their February 11 and March 10 meeting. In general, the planning commission members were in favor of the plan and only asked that some additional information and clarification be provided as the second meeting.

Last spring a petition to reject small-area plans in Louisville titled "Keep our Small Town Character: Stop Planning for More High Density Housing" was started by the CAC Citizens' Action Council in Louisville. The petition currently has over 350 supporters.

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